Monkeying around on Gibraltar
The Rock of Gibraltar was referred to by the ancient Romans as the Pillars of Hercules. Legend has it that Hercules pushed up this massive rock out of the water, along with another pillar known as Jebel Musa , and narrowed the strait. This musclebound deity was said to have constructed these promontories to prevent any nefarious sea-monsters from entering the Mediterranean Sea from the Atlantic. While Rebecca and I didn’t run into any sea serpents on our voyage to the rock, we soon discovered that the entire place was inhabited by creatures of an entirely different kind.
Following the collapse of the Roman Empire, the rock fell to Muslim Moorish rule in 711 A.D. After exchanging ownership numerous times throughout history, Gibraltar was eventually ceded to Britain from Spain in 1713. By the end of the 18th century, the Rock of Gibraltar had endured fourteen bloody sieges in a period of 500 years. Although Gibraltar borders the Southern coast of Spain, the British were quick to realize that the rock offered a strategic naval advantage that they were willing to pay any price to keep. By the onset of the 20th century, the Rock of Gibraltar had become England’s most important possession in all of the Mediterranean. (more…)
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